Alarming California map shows exactly where wildfires are tearing across the state — as sweltering heat wave hits

By New York Post (U.S.) | Created at 2026-10-05 23:21:47 | Updated at 2026-10-06 00:03:00 42 minutes ago

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An alarming map shows large swathes of California covered in destructive wildfires as a blistering heat wave scorches the state.

The interactive tool revealed the exact locations where the blazes are tearing across the Golden State this week through displays of incidents, hotspots and perimeters.

As of Monday, the fires are mainly clumped around Southern California near Los Angeles and around the national parks above Sacramento.

A map shows where wildfires are tearing across California during a sweltering heat wave.

The Plaskett Fire burns above Highway 1 in Big Sur, California, Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026. Bloomberg via Getty Images

A fire engine drives past a group of firefighters along a control line during the Lucas Fire near Upper Lake, Calif., Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026. Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP

Active fire incidents are displayed with a fire icon and details about the fire can be found when clicked.

Fire perimeters were also shown on the map with a light red overlay and bold red outline.

Thermal hotspots were displayed as red dots and “could be the beginnings of wildfires, or they may be false positives that the satellite picked up … like volcanic activity, oil and natural gas wells,” according to the map.

Flames from the Dome Fire, a wildfire burning in Yosemite National Park, illuminate the night in California, Monday, Sept. 21, 2026. via REUTERS

An oppressive heat wave is projected to peak from Sunday through next Thursday, bringing temperatures between 102 and 106 degrees Fahrenheit to millions of residents. X/@jason61987

Monterey County’s dual wildfires continued burning along the coast as firefighters battled back flames near structures and residences. Bloomberg via Getty Images

It comes as California baked in a record-breaking heat wave. Southern California has seen an unusually high streak of 100 degree weather over the past week.

Los Angeles in October has already experienced three days of 100-degree weather. Heat advisories from Southern California to the Bay Area were issued as maximum temperatures in certain areas were forecasted to be near 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

“We’re going on Day 4 of this really significant heat wave and we still have several more days of heat,” Rose Schoenfeld, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, told the Los Angeles Times.

People visit the beach in Malibu as Southern California battles another heat wave. Rafael Fontoura for CA Post

The interactive map was released by Frontline Wildfire Defense, a wildfire sprinkler company. Data released by the company recorded 8,024 total wildfire incidents in 2024, with another 578 blazes igniting in March 2025 alone.

Dry climate and strong Santa Ana winds are one of the main reasons why fires in the Golden State are prevalent. With high wind speeds, small fires easily turn into massive ones across the state.